I recently had the pleasure of building a Mission style cherry coffee table using components from Osborne Wood Products. Osborne Wood products provided the legs, skirt boards and corner braces. I made the table top with a few eye catching features like bread board ends and pyramid shaped plugs.

Part II coming SOON A second video is being worked on now that details how the breadboard table top is contructed.

Details on making breadboard ends

"A breadboard end is a narrow piece that is mechanically joined to the end of a larger panel. The purpose is to support and maintain the rigidity of the panel, while allowing the panel to shrink or expand across the grain." - excerpt from an article on FWW.com by Mario Rodriguez titled All About Breadboard Ends

Step 1 - form a tenon on the end of the board by using the tablesaw and the router table

Step 2 - the long tenon is fine-tuned to match the mortise that is made in the end piece.

Step 3 - when there's a good fit between the breadboard end and the table top, square holes are made in the end of the breadboard to house the screws that attached the end to the table top.

Step 4 - the breadboard ends are attached using glue on only the center 6 inches of the joint. The screws through the end (elongated holes) add strength and stability to the joint.

Step 5 - pyramid headed plugs are formed using the crosscut sled. The plugs are glued into the square holes to hide the screws.

This classic looking Arts and Crafts style cabinet was designed to have a television sit on top, with the audio video equipment on the open shelf. There's generous cabinet space below which is concealed by two locking frame and panel doors. The appearance and design is true to the Arts and Crafts motif, but under the covers, this piece hides a dark secret.

The entire process of constructing this cabinet was filmed, and the video is being edited now (2/8/2010). I expect part one of this series to be released in a about a week.

You may be surprised to discover that this cabinet started it's life as a mid-sixties dresser made by the R-WAY company. I gave the piece a dramatic makover and transformed it into a classic Arts and Crafts cabinet (asthetically at least).

From the pictures in the gallery you can see that this piece present many of the American Arts and Crafts features (too bad they're almost all fake).

• Through Mortise and Tenon pinned joinery
• Corbels supporting the overhanging top
• Quartersawn white oak construction
• Arched base
• Frame and panel construction
• Hand-hammered hardware with antique lockset
• Backsplash

The Original Piece I wanted to do something with this well made dresser I had stowed in the closet. My neighbor was moving and asked if I wanted this piece. I can't refuse anything made of wood (especially if it has dovetails!). This dresser had bow front drawers and a very dark finish. The piece didn't appeal to my tastes, so it sat in the closet for about 3 years. The need for a place to set my new TV arose, and I figured I could give this old dark dresser a makover into something that suited my tastes.

This project is a queen sized bed inspired by a Stickley Panel bed. I didn't have anything to go on other than the picture from the Stickley web site, and the overall dimensions. I set to work drawing up my own plans from these two bits of information.

The construction of the bed features through mortise and tenon joints connecting the horizontal rails to the posts. The headboard and the footboard have a frame and panel construction where vertical stiles contain the panels and connect the two horizontal stiles. The top horizontal stiles on the headboard and footboard have a broad inverted V shape that is characteristic of a number of Stickley pieces.

Update 5/30/09 - I am almost done with the first three videos for this series. I cover how to make the panels in part 1, how to make the horizontal rails in part 2, and how to make the vertical stiles and assemble the frame and panel section in part 3. If all goes well, all three parts should be released Sunday night (5/31/09)

Update 5/24/09 - Work on the bed is progressing nicely. I made the tenons on the horizontal rails using the crosscut sled and the bandsaw. The crosscut sled took care of the shoulder cuts, and the bandsaw cut off the cheeks. Overall, I'm please with this method, but I'd rather be using my tenon jig. The length of these piece prohibited the use of the tenon jig (too tall, they would hit the ceiling, and it would be a little akward).

Update 5/17/09 - Filming of this project is underway. I've posted some in progress shots below. Stay tuned, I hope to have the first video in the series out soon. Please post any questions or comments you have about this poject.

Stickley style Open Night Stand - #89-0909

I haven't actually built these night stands yet...

I will start building the night stands in March, but I have spent a great deal of time modeling them in Google Sketchup.  This may be the first time I completely modeled a project before cutting any wood, and I have to say that it's been beneficial in a number of ways:

• I now have complete set of assembly and dimensioned drawings.
• I was able to work out some design issues without experimenting on wood - saving time and materials.
• I can accurately calcutate the amount of materials I'll need to complete the project.

This project will be one of my most thorough and detailed projects to date.  The drawings alone are a cut above most of my previous plans.  I'm excited about doing this project on video for myself and you, the viewer (not to mentioned my wife, who has been waiting patiently for 3+ years).

I took the liberty of simplifying the design of these night stands, thus they differ from the authentic version slightly.  I am constructing these night stands much like a kitchen cabinet - a carcuss, a face frame, and a recessed back.

I would like to thank Bob at http://www.ulmworks.com for his help with the dimensions on these night stands.  Bob measured an original piece at the Stickley store and made some very nice reproductions himself. 

Here's a picture of the night stand as offered by Stickley Today:

One of the nice things about the design of this night stand, is that a three-drawer counterpart would easy to adapt:

Here's my interpretation of Gustav Stickley's No. 603 tabouret. This little round table works great in almost any decor.

The construction of the table looks deceptively simple, but it has it's fair share of challenges. You have to be accurate and precise in the execution of the joinery to make the through tenons and interlocking cross members fit perfect.

There is a multi-part video series for this project (Part 1 was released 12/7/08, the rest of the videos will be coming soon).  In the video, I make two of these tables side by side - each with very different methods.  I compare and contrast how to build an authentic version of this table versus an "imposter" table.  I think you'll enjoy seeing the choices in materials and construction that goes into each distinct method.

Update 12-12-2008 - I added a PDF to the file downloads that has all the dimensions for this table. The measured drawings are also in the picture gallery.

Video Series

Released	Description
12/07/2008	Part 1 - This video introduces the project and details the construction of the round top. Cutting circles on the router table using the motorized router lift is shown. Basic veneering techniques are also show.
12/13/2008	Part 2 - This video details the construction of the legs. I show two different methods for constructing a leg that show quartersawn white oak grain on all four sides.
12/14/2008	Part 3 - This video details two different mortise and tenon joints for the legs. The authentic table features legs that have a traditional through-mortise and tenon joint connecting the lower cross-members to the legs. The imposter table has a fake through tenon and uses loose tenon joinery to connect the lower cross-members to the legs.
12/18/2008	Part 4 - This video details the construction of the lower crossmembers. I'll show you how to make tenons on the MLCS horizontal router table, and use pattern routing to form identical curves in all the pieces. The interlocking crossmembers fit together with a precise dado.
12/26/2008	Part 5 - This video details the construction of the upper crossmembers. The authentic table has a dovetail joint that connects the upper cross member to the legs, while the imposter table uses a simple stub tenon and open mortise. The interlocking crossmembers fit together with a precise half-lap joint.
12/27/2008	Part 6 - This video details the assembly of both tables. You will see how loose tenon joinery can simplify the assembly of the imposter table. The benefits of a successful dry fit are stressed. For a lifetime of service, the mortise and tenon joints are pinned using dowels.
1/11/2008	Part 7 - This video details how to apply the stain and finish to the tables using simple techniques and off-the-shelf products. My simple finish schedule is easy to follow and gives great results.